Traffic, arson top CAPS concerns in Portage Park

Police in beat 1622 told Portage Park residents at a meeting on
Wednesday that no arrests had been made in the string of trash can
arson fires that continues in the area. Community organizer John
Eischen reminded attendees to warn neighbors about the problem,
saying that if their neighbor's garage burned down, they wouldn't
want to be thinking "I wish I would have said something."

Police also said that they are patrolling to reduce stop sign
violations at Avondale and Austin and are issuing tickets to
discourage overnight truck parking on Northwest Highway.

One resident reported apparent drug sales in the alley behind
the 4500 block of north Marmora. "We started witnessing the drug
buys" she said. She also said the apparent drug buyers would drive
away through an area where children frequently played.

Other concerns raised by residents included drivers running stop
signs at Sunnyside and Marmora, people occupying the basement of an
abandoned house in the 4500 block of north Mason, and two females
engaged in "inappropriate behavior" in the back seat of a car
across the street from Prussing Elementary School.